300 Tdi Rebuild

ifloochies said:

@Al2O3 I certainly hope this does it, so this thread fades into memory as you get around to properly enjoying your landy without having to pop the bonnet every few miles.

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Cheers, mate. Yes, I hope so too! I'm frightened to do the turbo outlet on to the inner wing test For now anyway, happy to have a spell thinking it's ok I'm thinking if the kinked pipe hassle has permanently damaged the turbo, then I suppose it might just be a case of replacing the turbo cartridge.
Although still difficult to fit, the genuine return pipe looks a world of difference on compared to the aftermarket ones. The label you can see on the new pipe has the date of manufacture on the other side.......1998 22 years old and never out of the packet. Must have sat in an army store for 20+ years

@Al2O3, Been a while - hope its all smiles and happy days with you and the tratter now.

ifloochies said:

@Al2O3, Been a while - hope its all smiles and happy days with you and the tratter now.

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Well, its very good of you to remember my saga.
It's probably not happy days to be honest. Since I put a genuine return pipe back on the puff of smoke out of the exhaust did get lighter instead jet black soot. I took early retirement at the end of April and I'm just not doing the miles to judge oil consumption. What I need to do is take the outlet pipe from the turbo off the intercooler and point it on the inner wing and take it for a spin and see what comes out. I've just been avoiding it in order not to have to face the inevitable, that it's still passing oil. (It doesn't smell too good)
I've been promising myself I'd check it before Christmas and your post has been the kick up the pants I need. I'll do it this week and report back.
Many thanks mate.

@ifloochies on a side note we drove through Friedrichshafen a few years ago on one of our camping tours. Not in the Landy I hasten to add!

Al2O3 said:

@ifloochies on a side note we drove through Friedrichshafen a few years ago on one of our camping tours. Not in the Landy I hasten to add!

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Ok @ifloochies I've taken the turbo outlet pipe off today
So the picture below shows the outlet pipe turned up out of the way with a boy racer air filter clamped on it.
I've taped a cereal box up against the inner wing in direct line with the turbo outlet.


Drove about two and a half miles away from home and stopped to check it.
You can see the oil spatter straight away.


Drove back home again and you can see the oil pooling on top of the IC pipe already.

So, despite now having an original, well fitting outlet pipe the turbo is still passing oil in to the IC and on to cylinders.

My first turbo, after the engine rebuild, was a reconditioned one. I've still got it so I thought I'd take the CHRA apart to improve my knowledge/understanding of the 'seals'.

Not sure if that's going to show, so I've enlarged it.

You can see the piston ring type seal. It compresses to fill that gap and I can't get it back in to the body of the CHRA unless I work out some way of compressing it while refitting. Obviously, I've no need to. However, it's an indication that it's probably working.
The problem must be on the other end though cos the oil is coming through the compressor.
This is the other end of the CHRA. The compressor fan goes on there with a nut on the end.

When I took that circlip out the shiny centre bit wouldn't come out.
Looking down the CHRA from the other end looks like this.

There are some circlips holding the bearings in and I took them all out. You can see the two bearings in the picture above with the yellow arrow pointing to the piston ring type seal.
Once the bearings were out a couldn't see any signs of any form of seal for the other end of the shaft.

I suppose the next move is to buy a replacement CHRA rather that a brand new turbo as I did last time

Anyone know what the seal on the other end is like? I'm wondering if once forced open it can't reseal? I think the piston ring seal would be able to continue working once the pressure is off.

Sorry to hear this thing is still giving you grief.
I'm assuming in conducting your test, you had rerouted your crankcase breather so it wasn't connected to the intake of the turbocharger, where some oil mist from crankcase ventilation would not be getting into the turbo.
Its important we rule that out first before you rule out the turbo as being past it's best.
Nonetheless, should you need to replace just the cartridge, have had with these ordered from https://spareto.com/products/turborail-chra-cartridge-charger/100-00107-500

Good price, quick delivery, and both of them are still holding up despite a few missed oil changes here and there.

ifloochies said:

Sorry to hear this thing is still giving you grief.
I'm assuming in conducting your test, you had rerouted your crankcase breather so it wasn't connected to the intake of the turbocharger, where some oil mist from crankcase ventilation would not be getting into the turbo.
Its important we rule that out first before you rule out the turbo as being past it's best.
Nonetheless, should you need to replace just the cartridge, have had with these ordered from https://spareto.com/products/turborail-chra-cartridge-charger/100-00107-500

Good price, quick delivery, and both of them are still holding up despite a few missed oil changes here and there.

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I didn't disconnect the breather tube this time but I have in the past since the engine rebuild. I had it going in to a 2litre container and I drove it like that and nothing came out. There's no noticeable pressure at the oil filler at the rocker cover. In fact I've had a latex glove taped over it and nothing happens.
In my hours of googling I've seen YouTube videos where people have had this and once they've sorted the restriction it goes back to normal and stops passing oil. So I've either still got a restriction or my turbo is knackered. I did watch a video last night that said there is a rubber ring in the compressor end and this can go hard if it gets over heated. Mine would have been running hot due to the lack of oil flow to cool it, so maybe mine has a rubber ring type seal in that end. I don't know because I cant work out how to get in there yet. I might get a chance to have another look at the old CHRA later today.

New CHRA has arrived.

So the plan is to test the cyclone breather output in to the air intake pipe with a catch can setup. Done this before and not a sausage came out, but worth ruling it out again. Take turbo off and test oil coming out of HP oil turbo inlet pipe by turning engine over with stop solenoid disconnected. Check hole in to block is clear then test again by fitting return pipe to block and pour oil down it. If all looks good swap the CHRA and keep my fingers crossed. Does that sound like a decent plan or is there something else I should do?

Al2O3 said:

New CHRA has arrived.
View attachment 227016
So the plan is to test the cyclone breather output in to the air intake pipe with a catch can setup. Done this before and not a sausage came out, but worth ruling it out again. Take turbo off and test oil coming out of HP oil turbo inlet pipe by turning engine over with stop solenoid disconnected. Check hole in to block is clear then test again by fitting return pipe to block and pour oil down it. If all looks good swap the CHRA and keep my fingers crossed. Does that sound like a decent plan or is there something else I should do?

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Yup, all bases covered!
I really hope this is it....
About time you got yourself a working motor, and for this thread to disappear into the archives

....and have fun with that circlip from hell

ifloochies said:

Yup, all bases covered!
I really hope this is it....
About time you got yourself a working motor, and for this thread to disappear into the archives

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You're right there mate! It'll have to wait until the weekend as the Mrs uses it for her daily drive to work. I'm frightened to put the new CHRA in to be honest. I don't know if I could take the disappointment if she pushes oil through this one anorl

Anyone know what the black gasket thing is for?

I phoned Fourby about that black gasket and it's needed for a different turbo to mine.
I know I'm dragging my feet with this, but I'm scared of failure

Anyhoo, set up a 'catch can' arrangement to see if there is anything coming through the cyclone breather and in to the induction system.
Put a hole in a milk carton and pushed it on to the cyclone breather outlet pipe.


Put a wine bottle lid over the pipe to the induction air inlet pipe to make sure no carp went down it.

Drove it 22 miles reaching speeds of up to 60mph and with some steep hills.
This was the result.
Slightly grubby from the outside of the cyclone breather body. No oil going in to the milk carton though.


A view inside.

No oil whatsoever.
When I did the turbo outlet playing on to the wing test I only drove about 6 miles, it was on the level and not as fast as today. There was a lot of oil came out on to the wing then.

So, I'm confident the oil is not coming via the cyclone breather route.
Next move is to take the turbo off and see how much oil comes out of the HP feed pipe when I crank her over. And, probably more importantly, pour oil down the return pipe and see how fast it drains away. To be honest I won't know what good or bad will look like in these test.

Al2O3 said:

I phoned Fourby about that black gasket and it's needed for a different turbo to mine.
I know I'm dragging my feet with this, but I'm scared of failure

Anyhoo, set up a 'catch can' arrangement to see if there is anything coming through the cyclone breather and in to the induction system.
Put a hole in a milk carton and pushed it on to the cyclone breather outlet pipe.
View attachment 228474

Put a wine bottle lid over the pipe to the induction air inlet pipe to make sure no carp went down it.
View attachment 228475
Drove it 22 miles reaching speeds of up to 60mph and with some steep hills.
This was the result.
Slightly grubby from the outside of the cyclone breather body. No oil going in to the milk carton though.
View attachment 228476

A view inside.
View attachment 228478
No oil whatsoever.
When I did the turbo outlet playing on to the wing test I only drove about 6 miles, it was on the level and not as fast as today. There was a lot of oil came out on to the wing then.

So, I'm confident the oil is not coming via the cyclone breather route.
Next move is to take the turbo off and see how much oil comes out of the HP feed pipe when I crank her over. And, probably more importantly, pour oil down the return pipe and see how fast it drains away. To be honest I won't know what good or bad will look like in these test.

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Means you have very little blowby, pressurising the crankcase and displacing oil... goes to show that you did a solid job on the rebuild.
Swap out the turbo with your new oil drain installed and you should be golden

ifloochies said:

Means you have very little blowby, pressurising the crankcase and displacing oil... goes to show that you did a solid job on the rebuild.
Swap out the turbo with your new oil drain installed and you should be golden

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I wish I had your confidence! Fingers crossed

The Mrs uses the Landy for work and while there was snow she didn't want me to take the turbo off. Well, the snow has suddenly melted and we've quickly transitioned in to the Northern summer. Shorts and T shirt weather up here today.
So, turbo off!
Split the turbo and this is the new CHRA going in.


All went well. Time was getting on and I needed to go and check my squirrel traps. Took the Landy and the boost gauge responded quickly and the Landy pulled really well. Was dark when I got home, so acid test tomorrow will be running it with the turbo air outlet on to the inner wing again.

Good luck with it , hope it’s now sorted

steve2286w said:

Good luck with it , hope it’s now sorted

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Cheers, mate.
I've got a grey turning up early at one of my red feeders, so early out with the rifle to try and shoot it. Hope to test it late morning.

I hear they’re a tasty treat , was it a butcher in corbridge or Hexham who sold them as sausages

steve2286w said:

I hear they’re a tasty treat , was it a butcher in corbridge or Hexham who sold them as sausages

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Defo Corbridge, not sure about Hexham. All mine get bagged and go in the bin